Coil winding machine

ABSTRACT

A high speed wire coiling machine has a coil winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which the coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, having the wire running through a channel in the drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto the coiling disk. The equalizing gear means is arranged in the coiling disk and is designed as a direct remotecontrolled non-contacting intermediate power system for selectively effecting either a stationary position or a controlled slow rotation between the rotor and the coiling disk.

United States Patent 1 Knnz [451 Feb. 18,1975

[ COIL WINDING MACHINE [76] Inventor: Horst Kunz, Friedhofstrasse 24,

Mandeln, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 425,812

Primary Examirier-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fred C. Philpitt; W. Robert Baylor [57] ABSTRACT A high speed wire coiling machine has a coil winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which the coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, having the wire running through a channel in the drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto the coiling disk. The equalizing gear means is arranged in the coiling disk and is designed as a direct remote-controlled non-contacting intermediate power system for selectively effecting either a stationary position or a controlled slow rotation between the rotor and the coiling disk.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEB 3.866.852

' SHEET 1 [IF 3 PAIENIWE 3.866.852

sum 2 [1F 3 PATENTED FEB] 81975 sum 30F 3 1 com WINDING MACHINE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a wire coiling machine and more particularly to a coil winding head with a freely rotatable coiling disk on a drive shaft that is supported in a stationary housing and non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk for producing wire coils.

PRIOR ART Frequently, the large scale production of wire coils is effected by means of a disk that is retained in its spatial position and of a rotary coil form driven by a DC shunt motor, the wire running through the hollow drive shaft and emerging laterally. Certain conventional wire winding or coiling machines are equipped with a rotary winding arm and a drum engaged by a planetary gear system having a stationary sun gear, the systembeing for instance designed as a two-step indexing drive with indexing wheels adapted to be shifted along the drum hub and optionally having a coupling between the drive and winding shafts. Such machines are expensive and undesirable in that the equalizing gear is bound to project or jut out far. For winding rosette-shaped coils, it is necessary to provide gear wheels having different numbers of teeth so that the coiling disk may be slowly rotated. This, of course, increases the design and manufacturing expenses even further.

In any case the wear hitherto unavoidable due to the gears employed greatly detracts from the serviceability of conventional coiling machines, even though oilimmersed gears and/or meshing gears of different materials such as steel and synthetics be employed, since high wire feed rates cannot be attained owing to the gear system and its rapid deterioration especially in top-speed operation.

One type of conventional wire winding or coiling machines uses a freely rotatable coiling drum connected to a first gear means which is in driving relationship with a second gear means permanently attached to a stationary machine housing, the wire wound from a rotary winding arm onto the floating drum which is held at a standstill by an intermediate pinion gear. High winding speeds are not feasible with this arrangement, either, because the equalizing pinion gear is inclined and wobbles so that substantial unbalances and inertia forces result. Doing away with such unbalances is difficult because of the winder head projecting from the support, with the winder pulley being provided at the feed-through plate and/or at the hub portion of the pinion gear. Consequently vibrations and reverberations are enhanced and prevent an increase of the winding rate as well as sufficient uniformity of the coiling operation.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It'is an object of the invention to provide a wire winding or coiling machine which does not have the disadvantages of the prior art and which is simple to construct and operate.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved high-speed wire winding or coiling machine which-will reliably operate even under severe conditions and which will permit of a controlled standstill or slow rotation in either direction of the wire coiling disk.

Another object of the invention consists of providing an improved high-speed wire winding or coiling machine which is of relatively light weight and is easy to balance especially regarding dynamic rotational forces or moments of momentum.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved high-speed wire winding or coiling machine of rugged construction and relatively small volume, affording convenient maintenance and se'rviceability.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is primarily directed to a wire coiling machine and more particularly to a coil winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk. In accordance with the invention, there is provided an equalizing gear means which is arranged in said coiling disk and which is designed as a direct remote-controlled non-contacting intermediate power system for effecting a controlled slow rotation, if any, between said rotor and said coiling disk. Such equalizing gear means may comprise an electrically controlled infinitely variable magnetic drive means housed inside the outer diameter of said coiling disk and adapted to non positively drive said coiling disk directly and continuously.

Preferably, said equalizing gear means comprises inductor comb means pairwise secured to rotatory disks, a conductive intermediate-disk being arranged between said inductor comb means with free travel clearance, said intermediate disk being non-rotatably connected to said coiling disk for torque transmission thereto from said inductor comb means in response to an excitation thereof.

Preferred embodiments of the invention employ inductor comb means comprising linear or arcuate motors arranged at an angle to the radii of said intermediate disk, e.g., in a tangent direction thereto.

A wire coiling machine according to the invention may include an adjusting means for controlling the free travel clearance between said pairs of inductor comb means and said intermediate disk. Also, a control unit may be provided for varying the magnetic field excitation of said magnetic drive or inductor comb means. Driving conditions can also be influenced using a displacement device for displacing said magnetic drive or inductor comb means in a direction parallel to said intermediate disk plane.

In addition, the invention provides for an eddy current brake acting on said coiling disk.

An embodiment of the invention consists of an equalizing gear means designed as a direct self-regulating non-contacting intermediate power transmission for effecting a controlled slow rotation, if any, between said rotor and said coiling disk. Such equalizing gear means may comprise electromagnetic field-controlled drive means consisting of a first rotatory element secured to said rotor and of a second rotatory element secured to said shaft, said second element featuring rotational symmetry in respect of said shaft. Moreover, an

eddy current drive means may be provided which acts between said first and second rotatory elements.

BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and which illustrate, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side or longitudinal section view schematically showing the principal parts ofa preferred embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines II II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing another preferred embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view partly similar to FIG. 2, showing yet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION In FIGS. 1 and 2, the depicted embodiment of a wire winding or coiling machine according to the invention is shown to take up a wire 1 by means of a feed pulley 2 situated above a hollow drive shaft 3. This drive shaft 3 has a channel 3a and extends through a stationary housing 4 in which it is supported by bearings 5. The wire 1 runs through the channel 3a and is guided thereout by means of a deviation pulley 6 located laterally of shaft 3, the rotation axis of this deviation pulley 6 being normal to the axis of drive shaft 3 to which a rotor 8 is secured that has an aperture 23. As the wire 1 is laterally emerging and guided over the deviation pulley 6, it passes through the aperture 23 of rotor 8 and runs over a second deviation pulley 7 onto a coiling disk 12. By means of fitting keys and 11, the shaft 3 is firmly secured to the rotor 8 which may be provided with sleeves for this purpose. A pair of disks 9 is fixed to the lower side of rotor 8. An equalizing gear 13 is supported between this pair of disks 9.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the equalizing gear 13 comprises magnetic drive system having four pairs of inductor combs l4 concentrically arranged around the shaft 3 in directions tangent to intersecting diameters of the disks 9 supporting the inductor combs or linear induction motors. Between these pairs of inductor combs 14 there is arranged a non-contacting, freely rotatable intermediate or transmission disk 15 which is fixed to the coiling or Scholl disk 12 by means of studs 16 secured to the inner periphery thereof. An intermediate space between the inductor combs of each pair 14 provides for an air gap so that the intermediate or transmission disk 15 may freely rotate between the linear induction motors 14. Electric connections 17 to the inductor combs 14 supply electrical energy from leads 19 contained in a cable duct or conduit 18. The leads 19 terminate in a slip-ring arrangement 20 provided with collectors 21 that are connected to a power outlet provided in or at the housing 4.

On top of the slip-ring arrangement 20 there is a V- belt drive 22 transmitting the driving torque ofa prime mover (not shown). It will be seen that the V-belt drive 22 contributes to a small overall length of the wire coiling machine according to the invention. However, it is also possible and contemplated by the invention to provide a direct drive for the shaft 3, e.g., by means of a flat motor whose stator is rigidly connected or integral with the housing 4.

In operation, the wire I is fed by the feed pulley 2 through the channel 3a of drive shaft 3 onto the deviation pulley 6 and from there through the aperture 23 of the disk-shaped rotor 8 over the second deviation pulley 7 onto the coiling or Scholl disk 12. The winding speed of the wire 1 is determined by the speed of rotor 8. The coiling disk 12 is either held stationary by the equalizing gear 13 or slowly rotated, if so desired. This is effected by a magnetic field induced from the pairs of inductor combs 14 in a manner such that-the magnetic field rotates contrary to the sense of rotation of shaft 3 equalling or nearly equalling its speed. Consequently, the intermediate or transmission disk 15 of the magnetic drive and the coiling disk 12 rigidly connected to the intermediate disk 15 is then at a virtual standstill in respect of the stationary housing 4 or slowly moving relative thereto if the speed of the induced magnetic field differs from the speed of the drive shaft 3. In this connection a slow motion is defined as a movement the speed of which is smaller by at least one order of magnitude than the rotational speed of the shaft 3 or the V-belt drive 22, respectively.

The intermediate or transmission disk 15 is provided with a circular plate of magnetic material such as iron or steel and may also carry a preferably thin disk of electrically conductive material such as aluminum, copper or the like. Consequently, an eddy current mechanism (not shown) may be arranged toact on the conductive disk and thus on the transmission disk 15 for driving and/or braking it. Such an eddy current brake will retain the wire coiling disk in its spatial position, i.e., at a virtual standstill, during startup of the machine, too. A deceleration or braking effect can also be obtained by suitable control of the magnetic drive system, e.g., by governing a control unit (not shown) such that at least one pair of inductor combs 14 will tend to stop or oppose the movement of the coiling disk 12.

Electrical energy is supplied by the collectors 21 which may be carbon brushes and which co-operate with the slip-ring arrangement 20 provided on top of the drive shaft 3. As will be evident from FIG. 1, the slip-ring arrangement 20 is connected to the leads 19 which extend through the cable duct or conduit 18 inside the hollow drive shaft 3, terminating in connections 17 to the inductor combs or magnetic drive element pairs 14 at the lower side of rotor 8.

Prior to running onto the coiling disk 12, the wire 1 is fed from the second deviation pulley 7 through a roller straightener 24 (FIG. 2) provided at the lower side of rotor 8. The latter may also carry an adjusting means (not shown), e.g., by way of at least one screw or worm drive permitting displacement of the inductor combs or linear motors 14 in a radial and/or tangent direction. Thus it is most conveniently possible to'match the speeds of rotor 8 and shaft 3. Another adjusting means (not shown) may be provided for varying the air gap between the pairs of inductor combs l4 and the intermediate disk 15 supported therebetween so that its free travel clearance may be varied for regulating the torque transmitted or the net usable power of the magnetic drive, respectively. Additionally ror alternatively,

a control unit (not shown) may serve to vary the magnetic field excitation for the same purpose.

A somewhat modified embodiment of the invention is displayed in FIG. 3 wherein like elements are designated by like reference numerals. Again the wire 1 to be coiled is fed over a feed pulley 2 through a hollow drive shaft 3 having a channel 3a. The shaft 3 is supported in a stationary housing 4 by bearings 5. A lateral deviation pulley 6 serves to guide the wire 1 out of the shaft 3, through an aperture 23 in a rotor 8 and over another deviation pulley 7 onto a coiling disk 12. The rotor 8 is in driving connection with shaft 3 by means of a fitting key 10. To the lower side of rotor 8 a pair of disks 9 is attached, e.g., by bolts, and these disks are additionally secured to the shaft 3 by means of a fitting key 11. The disks 9 carry pairs of inductor combs 14 that are part of an equalizing gear 13 inside the coiling disk 12 to which an intermediate or transmission disk 15 is secured. Thus transmission or intermediate disk 15 is situated between the inductor combs 14 of each pair with sufficient clearance to provide free travel in either rotatory direction. Electrical energy is supplied to the inductor combs 14 by means of connections 17 through leads 19 that pass through a cable duct or conduit 18 in the drive shaft 3 the top of which co-operates with a slip-ring arrangement 20 having collectors 21 which may consist of carbon brushes or the like. A V- belt drive 22 or a flat motor is provided for driving shaft 3 and thus rotor 8.

It will be seen in FIG. 3 that a set collar is provided between the disks 9 adjacent to the shaft 3, permitting adjustment of the air gap between the inductor combs l4 and the intermediate or transmission disk 15. For adjusting said distance or air gap, any other conventional setting device may also be used, such as a screw or worm drive, telescopic arrangements etc.

It will also be realized from FIG. 3 that there is provided a control unit 26 preferably inside the stationary housing 4, said control unit 26 being equipped with leads 27 for remote control.

FIG. 4 shows a partly sectional view corresponding to line IV IV in FIG. 3, although the right half of FIG. 4 schematically indicates an embodiment differing from that in the left half. It will be realized that both embodiments of FIG. 4 partly correspond to those of FIG. 1 and 3, a roller straightener 24 being arranged adjacent to deviation pulley 7 for straightening wire 1' before it runs onto the coiling disk 12. However, the driving or transmission system is somewhat different in that the disks 9 in the embodiment of the left half of FIG. 4 carries only two parallel pairs of inductor combs l4 equipped with an adjusting worm drive 29 and two eddy current brakes 30. By contrast, the right half of FIG. 4 shows an embodiment having three pairs of inductor combs 14 which, moreover, are arcuate rather than linear. Here, too, the inductor combs 14 each of which substantially extends over a right angle with a 30 peripheral spacing are adjustable by a setting means 29 that may be a screw or worm drive or any other conventional setting device. It will be noted that the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, by contrast, employs four pairs of inductor combs 14 forming a square around the shaft 3. It is to be emphasized that in any of the embodiments of the invention, eddy current driving or braking means may be used in addition to the inductor combs 14 or even substituting them. If the various pairs of inductor combs 14 are to be controlled individually, it is expedient to provide a distributor ring 28 shcematically indicated in FIG. 3 and 4 serving for independent supply of electrical energy from a central control unit such as indicated in FIG. 3 by reference 26.

Owing to the very simple construction of the coil winding machine according to the invention, wire winding speeds of about to feet per second can be obtained without difficulty with the drive shaft 3 rotating at approximately 1,200 rpm. The machine according to the invention is utilized particularly for winding or coiling wire from aluminum, copper, iron or steel; howwever, any material of rope form or line shape such as chords, webs and the like may also be coiled or wound.

The arrangement and types of structural components utilized within this invention may be subject to numerous modifications well within the purview of the invention and applicant intends only to be limited to a liberal interpretation of the specification and appended claims. As an example of such a modification, the rotor 8 may be provided with a second aperture equalling and opposite the aperture 23 and may also carry a further deviation pulley opposite to the deviation pulley 7, this further pulley being an idler and merely serving for complete rotational symmetry and balance.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire coiling machine having a coiling winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means is secured to a bearing support inside said coiling disk and is designed as a direct remote-controlled non-contacting intermediate power system for effecting a controlled slow rotation, if any, between said rotor and said coiling disk.

2. A wire coiling machine according to claim 1, said equalizing gear means comprising an electrically controlled infinitely variable magnetic drive means housed inside the outer diameter of said coiling disk and adapted to non-positively drive said coiling disk directly and continuously.

3. A wire coiling machine according to claim 2, comprising a slip-ring unit connected to a cable duct extending through the bearing support of said coiling disk for electrical connection with said magnetic drive means.

4. A wire coiling machine according to claim 3, comprising a distribution device for electrical connection to a series of magnetic drive means, said distribution device being housed inside said coiling disk.

5. A wire coiling machine according to claim 2, comprising a control unit for varying the magnetic field excitation of said magnetic drive means.

6. In a wire coiling machine having a coil winding head with a freely rotating coil disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means comprises inductor comb means pairwise secured to rotatory disks, a conductive intermediate disk being rotatably secured between said unductor 7 comb means with free travel clearance, said intermediate disk being non-rotatably connected to said coiling disk for torque transmission thereto from said inductor comb means in response to an excitation thereof.

7. A wire coiling machine according to claim 6, said inductor comb means comprising linear motors arranged at an angle to the radii of said intermediate disk.

8. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, said linear motors being arranged essentially in a tangent direction to said intermediate disk.

9. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising an adjusting means for controlling the free travel clearance between said pairs of inductor comb means and said intermediate disk.

10. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising a displacement device for displacing said inductor comb means in a direction parallel to said intermediate disk plane.

11. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising an eddy current brake acting on said coiling disk.

12. In a wire coiling machine having a coiling winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means is secured to a bearing support inside said coiling disk and is designed as a direct self-regulating non-contacting intermediate power transmission for selectively effecting either a stationary position or a controlled slow rotation between said rotor and said coiling disk, said equalizing gear means comprising an electrically controlled infinitely variable magnetic drive means housed inside the outer diameter of said coiling disk and adapted to non-positively drive said coiling disk directly and continuously.

13. In a wire coiling machine having a coil winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means comprises electromagnetic field-controlled drive means consisting of a first rotatory element secured to said rotor and of a second rotatory element secured to said shaft, said second element featuring rotational symmetry in respect of said shaft.

14. A wire coiling machine according to claim 13, said first rotatory element supporting arcuate inductor means pairwise secured thereto, said second rotatory element including a conductive disk non-rotatably connected to said coiling disk, said first and second rotatory elements being rotatable relative to each other within an intermediate space of adjustable free travel clearance in response to an electromagnetic excitation of said inductor means. 7

15. A wire coiling machine according to claim 13, said electromagnetic field-controlled drive means comprising an eddy current drive means acting between said first and second rotatory elements. 

1. In a wire coiling machine having a coiling winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means is secured to a bearing support inside said coiling disk and is designed as a direct remote-controlled noncontacting intermediate power system for effecting a controlled slow rotation, if any, between said rotor and said coiling disk.
 2. A wire coiling machine according to claim 1, said equalizing gear means comprising an electrically controlled infinitely variable magnetic drive means housed inside the outer diameter of said coiling disk and adapted to non-positively drive said coiling disk directly and continuously.
 3. A wire coiling machine according to claim 2, comprising a slip-ring unit connected to a cable duct extending through the bearing support of said coiling disk for electrical connection with said magnetic drive means.
 4. A wire coiling machine according to claim 3, comprising a distribution device for electrical connection to a series of magnetic drive means, said distribution device being housed inside said coiling disk.
 5. A wire coiling machine according to claim 2, comprising a control unit for varying the magnetic field excitation of said magnetic drive means.
 6. In a wire coiling machine having a coil winding head with a freely rotating coil disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means comprises inductor comb means pairwise secured to rotatory disks, a conductive intermediate disk being rotatably secured between said unductor comb means with free travel clearance, said intermediate disk being non-rotatably connected to said coiling disk for torque transmission thereto from said inductor comb means in response to an excitation thereof.
 7. A wire coiling machine according to claim 6, said inductor comb means comprising linear motors arranged at an angle to the radii of said intermediate disk.
 8. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, said linear motors being arranged essentially in a tangent direction to said intermediate disk.
 9. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising an adjusting means for controlling the free travel clearance between said pairs of inductor comb means and said intermediate disk.
 10. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising a displacement device for displacing said inductor comb means in a direction parallel to said intermediate disk plane.
 11. A wire coiling machine according to claim 7, comprising an eddy current brake acting on said coiling disk.
 12. In a wire coiling machine having a coiling winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means is secured to a bearing support inside said coiling disk and is designed as a direct self-regulating non-contacting intermediate power transmission for selectively effecting either a stationary position or a controlled slow rotation between said rotor and said coiling disk, said equalizing gear means comprising an electrically controlled infinitely variable magnetic drive means housed inside the outer diameter of said coiling disk and adapted to non-positively drive said coiling disk directly and continuously.
 13. In a wire coiling machine having a coil winding head with a freely rotating coiling disk which floats on a drive shaft extending through a stationary housing and being non-rotatably connected to a rotor with which said coiling disk is in driving relationship via an equalizing gear means, the wire running through a channel in said drive shaft and over an adjacent guide pulley onto said coiling disk, the improvement wherein said equalizing gear means comprises electromagnetic field-controlled drive means consisting of a first rotatory elemeNt secured to said rotor and of a second rotatory element secured to said shaft, said second element featuring rotational symmetry in respect of said shaft.
 14. A wire coiling machine according to claim 13, said first rotatory element supporting arcuate inductor means pairwise secured thereto, said second rotatory element including a conductive disk non-rotatobly connected to said coiling disk, said first and second rotatory elements being rotatable relative to each other within an intermediate space of adjustable free travel clearance in response to an electromagnetic excitation of said inductor means.
 15. A wire coiling machine according to claim 13, said electromagnetic field-controlled drive means comprising an eddy current drive means acting between said first and second rotatory elements. 